Turning 11 comes with a range of emotions. Explore those emotions by reading the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros. Readers analyze the main character's reactions to the events of her day. Then, they write an essay describing what...

It is more important than ever that 21st-century learners develop the skills they need to become savvy consumers of media. Young learners locate and identify reliable sources of information with a helpful media lesson.

Martin Luther King Jr's " I Have a Dream" speech and Atticus Finch's closing argument during the trial of Tom Robinson both address the societal need to overcome racism. After examining the rhetorical devices and figurative language used...

Have your learners play around with Shakespeare's language. In this plan, small groups examine and rearrange soliloquies from Othello, noting how the language changes and morphs. All groups have a chance to change each soliloquy, making...

“. . .different men often see the same subject in different lights. . .” but the great orator Patrick Henry used all the skills at his command to craft a speech to convince listeners to see things as he did--that liberty was worth dying...

Sixth graders look at poetry in music. In this language arts lesson, 6th graders listen to and read the lyrics of songs to find the poetic aspects of them. They focus on similes and metaphors and write their own songs lyrics.

Fourth graders view song lyrics and identify similes in the song text.  In this similes lesson plan, 4th graders define and identify similes on a worksheet.  Students write their own similes using various adjectives.

Students create a haiku about the land formations they've studied.  In this haiku lesson, students identify the metaphor and meaning of a given haiku, brainstorm comparisons for a landform photo as a class and choose one to use in a...

Seventh graders determine the literal and figurative meanings of idioms and research the history of idioms. In this idioms instructional activity, 7th graders read two books by Fred Gwynne and select two idioms from the texts to...

Eighth graders analyze literature and the use of metaphors. In this metaphors lesson plan, 8th graders view and discuss the examples of metaphors. Students complete the phrases by writing in a metaphor.

Students explore geometric vocabulary through creation of shapes on a geoboard. They present design attributes, transfer of design, and color-coding components mix to create a fun and exciting lesson plan that stretches student thinking.

A thorough lesson on persuasive writing takes middle schoolers through several activities, including group discussion, collaborative posters, and independent writing. They compare historical speeches and analyze the persuasive techniques...

Upper grade and middle school writers study the art of parody. In this language arts lesson plan, learners study the work of Lewis Carroll, read and discuss parodies from the book, Alice in Wonderland, and construct their own parody...

Fourth graders develop their speaking skills. In this monologue lesson, 4th graders watch their instructors model a monologue regarding Abraham Lincoln. Students apply these skills as they research a historical figure from their state...

Students explore the definition and derivation of the popular usage of abbreviations in the English language. Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the abbreviation "prenup" when used as an word. They...

Sixth graders write descriptive narratives about animals. For this descriptive writing lesson, the teacher models how to write a paragraph with interesting sensory words and exciting verbs. Students choose a picture of an animal they...

Students define metaphor in both art and writing. In this metaphor lesson, students examine a photograph by Dorothea Lange and discuss the metaphor that is displayed in the picture. They write about an object that symbolizes a personal...

Third graders create sentences. In this sentences lesson students use onomatopoeia words to write sentences. They make a movement to match their onomatopoeia word. The students discuss why an author might use onomatopoeia in their writing.

Students explore similes through Quick as a Cricket. In this similes lesson plan, students investigate what a simile is and recognize them when they see them. Students write similes about themselves and illustrate...

Young scholars imagine and create their dream house.  In this comprehension and interpretation lesson, students read The Big Orange Splot, answer comprehension questions about the story and  complete a character traits...

Students write onomatopoeia poems. In this creative writing lesson, students listen to a picture book that introduces the concept of onomatopoeia. Students create their own list of words and write a short poem using onomatopoeia.

Students explore the Choctaw Native American tribe.  In this cross curriculum literacy and U.S. history lesson, students locate where the Choctaw Indians lived on a United States map.  Students listen to When Turtle Grew...

Students explore literary elements through music. In this figurative language lesson plan, students examine imagery and personification in "The Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix.

High school readers examine George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" for examples of symbolism, metaphor, connotation, and irony. They analyze how these literary tools convey the writer's main point and contribute to the persuasive...